Tag Archives: Lunar eclipses

On 8 October 2014 at 10:50UT, there will be a total lunar eclipse. This eclipse is the 42nd of Saros series number 127, which is composed of 72 eclipses. The duration of this lunar eclipse will be 58 minutes.

The eclipse will be visible from the Pacific Ocean and bordering regions.

The astrological chart below, cast for the location of Singapore, shows the event:

In all lunar eclipses, we have to take into consideration two sensitive points, namely the placement of the Moon and that of the Sun, which are opposing each other. In this case the eclipsed Moon is located in Aries, and a look at the table of Essential Dignities and Debilities shows us that she is peregrine (that is, not essentially dignified).

The Sun is in the sign of Libra, wherein he is essentially debilitated, being in his fall. This basic information already provides us with important insights into the nature of the upcoming eclipse. We are able to predict that the energy of the eclipse will most likely be rather negative.

Mars is the dispositor of the eclipsed Moon in Aries. He is peregrine here. The Sun, ruler of the second decanate of Aries, is essentially debilitated, as already mentioned above. William Lilly tells us in his pamphlet on the judgment of the effects of solar and lunar eclipses:

“For when the place Eclipsed, or Eclipse itself, shall be in the Ascendant, the effects shall then begin in the 1, 2, 3, and 4. moneth next after the appearance of the Eclips, …”

To find out more about the possible general effects of this eclipse, we can turn to William Lilly again. He writes in his Annus Tenebrosus, or The Dark Year, about a lunar eclipse with the Moon in the second decanate of Aries:

“… a Pestilence, and fatality in most disease, few falling sick that escape.”

The next step is to determine where the effects of the eclipse will be felt strongly and immediately. The general rule here is that the smaller the distance between the Sun or Moon and any of the angles, the stronger the effects of the eclipse will be. Furthermore, we can say that there is a correlation between the Ascendant, Medium Coeli or Descendant, and the time of the onset of the eclipse’s effect. If the eclipsed Moon is near the Ascendant, the effects will become noticeable after one, two, three or four months. If the eclipse is near the Medium Coeli, we will notice the effects after five, six, seven or eight months. Should the eclipse be near the Descendant, we can expect effects to occur after nine, then eleven or even twelve months. Thus, being interested in the strong and immediate effects of the eclipse, we want to find out where in the world the Moon will be close to the Ascendant during the eclipse. Looking at the world map, we see that the line of angularity for this particular lunar eclipse runs through Asia. Taking Singapore to be representative (see chart above), we can see that Luna is conjunct the Ascendant and we can therefore conclude that the expected effects will take place immediately after the eclipse. Also immediately affected could be Russia, China, Thailand or Laos.

We are also interested in the duration of the eclipse, and we find it to be 58 minutes. Lilly claims that the key to establishing the duration of a lunar eclipse’s effect is “one month for every hour”. Therefore we can conclude that this eclipse will initially affect people for just under one month. Having said that, this doesn’t give an insight into the possibility of long lasting consequences.

To give a summary of what we have established, we can conclude that the upcoming lunar eclipse will be rather a dangerous one, as it could herald the onset of some kind of disease, affecting many people in Asia. With the Sun in fall being heavily involved through his opposition to the Moon and through decanate rulership, and Mars, the lesser malefic, being the dispositor of the eclipsed Moon, this could be the trigger for a larger scale epidemic. We also note that Mars is conjunct fixed star Graffias in Scorpio, associated with malice and cruelty. William Lilly explains that, if Mars would be eclipse ruler:

“… he portends Tertaian Fevers, acute diseases, corruption of blood, or infirmities by breaking or stretching the veins, violence, injuries and injustice. … In the ayr he stirs up extraordinary sultry blasts and great heat, hot pestilent winds, pestiferous and infectious, thunder, lightning, whirl-winds, immeasurable droughts.”

For readers, interested in the personal implications of this eclipse, it might be of interest what William Lilly has to say about this:

“… Eclipse is more dangerous or pernitious which shall be in the Horoscope or Ascendant of the birth; or which shall be in the degree Ascending in an Annuall Revolution: it portends unto the Native some ominous and mischievous action as unto his body and also in his vital substance.”

And further on:

“… who had in the Radix of his Nativity either the Sun or the Moon in that degree, or in the degree opposite … or in the like degrees … which signs are in Quadrate aspects to the former, or if the degree Culminating in any man’s Nativity was either [the degree of the eclipse or its opposite or square] or within one degree therof, the native did suffer more or less by the influence of this Eclips; according to the signification of the House of Heaven, wherein the Sun or the Moon was in at the Birth, and was either well fortified or aspected of the benevolent Planets, or ill aspected, or afflicted of the Malevolents.”

For this particular lunar eclipse that means that people with Aries or Libra rising, either in their birth chart or in their Solar Revolution for 2014, will feel the influence stronger than others. Furthermore it should be noted if natal Sun or Moon are conjunct the eclipse point and it should be investigated if the Sun or Mars are particularly afflicted or located in houses six, eight, or twelve, as this might be of significance, too. If it should be the case that one or even more of these factors apply, an in-depth reading of the native’s charts may be necessary to find out which particular areas of life are likely to be affected the most.

On 18 October 2013 at 23:37UT, there will be a penumbral lunar eclipse. This eclipse is the 52th of Saros series number 117, which is composed of 72 eclipses. The duration of this lunar eclipse will be 3 hours, 59 minutes and 6 seconds.

The eclipse will be visible from the Americas, Europe, Africa, and most of Asia, whereby only the beginning will be visible in East Asia.

(click on image to enlarge)

The chart below, cast for the location of Washington, shows the event:

In all lunar eclipses, we have to take into consideration two sensitive points, namely the placement of the Moon and that of the Sun, which are opposing each other. In this case the eclipsed Moon is located in Aries, and a look at the table of Essential Dignities and Debilities shows us that she is peregrine (that is, not essentially dignified).

The Sun is in the sign of Libra, wherein he is essentially debilitated by fall, and he is also peregrine. This basic information already provides us with important insights into the nature of the upcoming eclipse. We are able to predict that the energy of the eclipse will most likely be rather negative or challenging.

William Lilly tells us in his pamphlet on the judgment of the effects of solar and lunar eclipses:

“For when the place Eclipsed, or Eclipse itself, shall be in the Ascendant, the effects shall then begin in the 1, 2, 3, and 4. moneth next after the appearance of the Eclips, …”

To find out more about the possible general effects of this eclipse, we can turn to William Lilly again. He writes in his Annus Tenebrosus, or The Dark Year, about a lunar eclipse with the Moon in the third decanate of Aries:

“… it imports many abortive births, many discommodities and dangers unto that Sex, viz. women; as also the death of many great Ladyes according to the Climate wherein the Eclips falls.”

We know that the planet ruling the third decanate of Aries is Venus, which underlines the importance of this eclipse for women (Venus is the natural significator of women). Venus is located in Sagittarius and is essentially dignified by term. Looking at the placement of the Sun, we realise that he is in Libra, ruled by Venus, which adds to the developing theme. We also know that Mars has rulership over Aries and therefore he is dispositor of the eclipsed Moon. Venus and Mars are not in conjunction to any malefic fixed stars, which indicates that the negative effects of the eclipse may perhaps not be as bad as first expected.

The next step is to determine where the effects of the eclipse will be felt strongly and immediately. The general rule here is that the smaller the distance between the Sun or Moon and any of the angles, the stronger the effects of the eclipse will be. Furthermore, we can say that there is a correlation between the Ascendant, Medium Coeli or Descendant, and the time of the onset of the eclipse’s effect. If the eclipsed Moon is near the Ascendant, the effects will become noticeable after one, two, three or four months. If the eclipse is near the Medium Coeli, we will notice the effects after five, six, seven or eight months. Should the eclipse be near the Descendant, we can expect effects to occur after nine, then eleven or even twelve months. Thus, being interested in the strong and immediate effects of the eclipse, we want to find out where in the world the Moon will be close to the Ascendant during the eclipse. Looking at the world map, we see that the line of angularity for this particular lunar eclipse runs through Canada and the United States of America. Taking Washington to be representative of the USA, we can see that Luna is close but not conjunct the Ascendant and we can therefore conclude that the diminished effects will begin to take place about one month after the day of the eclipse.

We also notice that during the eclipse the Moon will be conjunct the MC in the United Kingdom and Europe. This is clearly visible in the world map, depicted above. The astrological chart below, cast for London, shows this, too:

We can conclude from this that there will be a stronger effect in Europe and the UK, setting in about four months after the eclipse date.

We are also interested in the duration of the eclipse, and we find it to be three hours and 59 minutes. Lilly claims that the key to establishing the duration of a lunar eclipse’s effect is “one month for every hour”. Therefore we can conclude that this eclipse will affect us for just under four months.

To give a summary of what we have established, we can conclude that the upcoming lunar eclipse will mainly affect women in a rather negative way, and, should it come to the worst, we may even expect the death of a prominent woman. Eclipse rulers Mars and Venus are not in conjunction with any of the malefic fixed stars, and are not highly debilitated which may diminish the severity of the predicted outcome. In the United States of America, relatively weak effects should be felt about one month after the eclipse. In Europe it may take five months before any effects might unfold, but they could be more severe than the ones felt in the USA. In both cases the duration of the eclipse’s effect could be up to four months.

For readers, interested in the personal implications of this eclipse, it might be of interest what William Lilly has to say about this:

“… Eclipse is more dangerous or pernitious which shall be in the Horoscope or Ascendant of the birth; or which shall be in the degree Ascending in an Annuall Revolution: it portends unto the Native some ominous and mischievous action as unto his body and also in his vital substance.”

And further on:

“… who had in the Radix of his Nativity either the Sun or the Moon in that degree, or in the degree opposite … or in the like degrees … which signs are in Quadrate aspects to the former, or if the degree Culminating in any man’s Nativity was either [the degree of the eclipse or its opposite or square] or within one degree therof, the native did suffer more or less by the influence of this Eclips; according to the signification of the House of Heaven, wherein the Sun or the Moon was in at the Birth, and was either well fortified or aspected of the benevolent Planets, or ill aspected, or afflicted of the Malevolents.”

For this particular lunar eclipse that means that people with Aries or Libra rising, either in their birth chart or in their Solar Return chart for 2013, will feel the influence stronger than others. Furthermore it should be noted if natal Sun or Moon are conjunct the eclipse point and it should be investigated if Venus or Mars are particularly afflicted or located in houses six, eight, or twelve, as this might be of significance, too. If it should be the case that one or even more of these factors apply, an in-depth reading of the native’s charts may be necessary to find out which particular areas of life are likely to be affected the most.

An update of the Traditional Aspectarian for the months of April, May and June 2011 can be accessed under Traditional Aspectarian on the Title Bar on top of the screen.

The aspectarian contains:

* Date and time of the Ptolemaic aspects between the seven Planets.
* Date and time of the Planet’s ingress into the signs of the zodiac.
* Rx and Dx times of Planets.
* Date and time of solar and lunar eclipses.
* Dates of Full Moons and Dark Moons

Recently I wrote a web log entry, dealing with a traditional astrologer’s point of view concerning eclipses, quoting from William Lilly’s Annus Tenebrosus. This created quite some interest, so much so that I decided to write a follow-up posting particularly concerned with one reader’s view.

Murray Beauchamp from Melbourne commented on my original posting and highlighted the importance of the Saros cycle in connection with solar and lunar eclipses. He has studied these cycles for many years and comes to the conclusion that this eclipse could trigger an earthquake. I asked him, if he would be willing to explain his reasoning

In a private email he wrote:

In reply to your query as to why I think there could be an earthquake (or other natural catastrophe) my educated guess suggests the moon will be the trigger (passing over one of at least three sensitive points in the next month). The solar eclipse ruler Saturn is coming up to a station on the same degree as the Saturn from saros 151, in other words the Saturn return I mentioned is active for the whole month, the moon passing over this point I consider one trigger. I am also taking into consideration the lunar eclipse from Dec 21 in late Gemini, this eclipse belongs to lunar saros 125 which has a birth (first umbral eclipse) on Jan 17 1470 (OS). Lunar saros 125 has Saturn partile square the eclipse, and the Dec 21 eclipse makes a midpoint to the eclipse. Saturn/ Mars. So my second possible trigger is the moon passing over the Saturn of lunar saros 125 (6 Taurus). Finally the late Gemini position of the Dec 21 lunar eclipse is another hot spot. Late Gemini is often involved in worldly events.

He was as well kind enough to send me two pdf files, showing the relationship between Saros cycles and particular eclipses

Murray has published a book, The Cryptic Cycle – Astrology and the Lunar Saros, and may be reached via: Murray Beauchamp [murrayb@three.com.au]

A Traditional aspectarian page with sub-pages providing easy access to monthly tables has been added to this web log. The aspectarian may be accessed through the page link on the side-bar or through the links here:

General information about the contents of the Traditional aspectarian: